A New Kind of Life
by theangelCas
Summary: Season 9 spoilers! We all love a demon!Dean, but I thought that Sam would have handled the finale differently. How the season 9 finale should've gone. One-shot.


Dean Winchester was Sam's first and only hero.

He was his big brother and Sam wanted to be just like him in every way. Well, maybe not _every _way. Dean had given up his childhood so that Sam could have one- as rocky as it was. Sam never knew all that Dean had given up, and he never would. But Sam knew that he had the greatest brother he could ever ask for... and now he was gone.

_Dean's gone..._

"I'm proud of us." Sam cringed just thinking of his brothers last words. How could Dean be proud of him, after all that he had done and said? Sam knew he had Dean's unconditional love...but he had thought he had crossed a line before. _No, Dean. I wouldn't. I wouldn't do the same. Damn... _how could he say that? How could he tell his brother, who had given up so much for him- even his life!- that he wouldn't do the same? He wished so badly he could take back those words. But mostly, Sam wished he could have his brother back.

Sam layed his brothers lifeless body on his bed. _Dean's bed... _It had been so long since he had his own bed, his own room, and his own space. He had been so excited to finally have a place to call home. He cooked and he cleaned and he took care of the bunker, just like he had taken care of Sam his whole life. _Had been..._

But now, he was gone. His brother didn't deserve to die. He deserved to have a life- even if it was a hunter's life. He deserved it more than anyone else Sam had ever known... and now it was all taken from him again.

This wasn't the first time Sam had to say goodbye to his big brother- close his empty eyes- usually so bright and full of life. Pack away his things somewhere- just in case. Bury the body...

_Not yet... _Sam knew he couldn't bury his brother just yet. There was someone he had to talk to first.

...

"Cas... if you can hear me... I need you to come to the bunker..." Sam closed his eyes and tried not to cry. He stood in the bunker's main room, no longer being able to stand the sight of his brothers still form. "Please, Castiel. If you're still alive..." His voice trailed off and he opened his eyes, hoping to see the blue-eyed angel in front of him. He was not.

"Dammit, Cas..."

"Sam..." Sam turned at the sound of Castiel's voice. Cas stood behind him; his eyes tired and sad. Castiel considered giving Sam the news about Metatron, but he knew he would only be avoiding the question he didn't want to ask. "Sam, you-your brother...?" His voice was not hopeful.

Sam's bottom lip quivered, and he shook his head before bursting into tears. He had never felt like such a child in his entire adult life. There was only one person who could calm him when he was little, only one person that could make everything alright when he thought the world was literally ending- and that person was gone. "I couldn't get there in time, Cas. He went on without me, he found Metatron and..."

Cas pulled Sam, all 6'4" inches of him, into a hug. He wanted so badly to comfort his friend, but he didn't know how. He had been human for a while, and he had a new understanding of human emotions, but he didn't know how to fix them. And he surely didn't know how to calm him own emotions.

_Dean Winchester has been saved_. Dean- the righteous man. The righteous man who didn't think he deserved to be saved. The most fascinating human ever to be put in Castiel's charge. The rebel who convinced him to go against Heaven and do what was right. The man that Castiel rebelled for. The man who he betrayed and abandoned, only to be saved by him once more. The friend who held on to what little hope he had, because he just knew that Castiel couldn't be dead. Not really. The friend who prayed to him every night. The friend who charged through Purgatory, killing everything in his path, looking for him, because he needed him. His best friend for whom he broke through Naomi's grasp and influence to save. Son of John and Mary Winchester, from the bloodline of Cain and Able, Michael's one true vessel, big brother- extrodianre, Casitel's cause: Dean Winchester took on the Mark of Cain, and faced Metatron alone, to fix Castiel's mistake. _Dean Winchester is dead_.

They stood in solemn silence except for the sound of Sam's muffled sobs. Castiel barely noticed when silent tears fell from his own eyes. "Sam... your brother," Cas couldn't bring himself to say his name. "He was a good man... he died to stop Metatron..."

"H-he said..." Sam wiped his eyes, suddenly feeling embarassed for breaking down in front of the angel. "He said it was better this way." His voice was quiet and small, like he subconciously didn't want Cas to hear his words.

"It's not." Castiel said, simply.

As they stood there, mourning for Dean, they did not know that back in his room, Dean was opening his eyes once more.

_Maybe miracles do come true._


End file.
